Toy plane control device



Oct. 22, 1963 G. E. BERGER TOY PLANE CONTROL DEVICE Filed June 50, 1961INVENTOR GEORGE E. BERGER ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,107,452 TOYPLANE CONTROL DEVICE George E. Berger, Two Rivers, Wis. Filed June 30,1961, Ser. No. 121,007 3 Claims. (Cl. 46-77) This invention appertainsto toys and amusement devices, and more particularly to a novel meansfor launching and controlling the flight of toy airplanes.

One of the primary objects of my invention is to provide a toy planelaunching and controlling device, including a manually operated handlehaving associated therewith by a flexible cord or line a toy plane, withmeans upon manipulation of the handle for placing the plane in flight.

Another salient object of the invention is to provide a simple handoperated device for propelling the toy airplane around an operator andin the air, to simulate the flight of a real plane, with means forcontrolling the radius of the flight circle in a simple and easy mannerand for permitting the pulling in of the plane to a position of restagainst a manipulating handle.

A further important object of my invention is to provide a toy airplanelauncher and retractor which merely embodies an operating handle adaptedto be moved in a circle by an operator and a rotatable spool or sleevecarried by the handle having secured thereto a cord or line connectedwith a toy airplane, the line being adapted to be wound OE and on thespool or sleeve to control the flight of the toy airplane around theoperator.

A further important object of my invention is the provision of means forcontrolling the rotation of the spool or sleeve by using the forefingeror thumb for braking or stopping the rotation of the spool to controlthe flight of the plane and for winding up the cord or lineautomatically on the spool or sleeve during the flight of the planearound the operator, so that the plane will automatically return to thehandle.

It has been found, that there is a tendency for the cord or line to windoff and on the spool unevenly and to become tangled during themanipulation of the handle.

It is, therefore, another further important object of my invention toprovide a novel cord guide rotatable relative to the spool or sleeve andhandle through which the cord is threaded, which will effectively guidethe cord toward and away from the spool and thus effectively prevent thetangling of the cord and uneven winding of the cord on and off of thespool.

A still further important object of my invention is the provision of asimple toy embodying a manipulating handle adapted to be held in thehand, having rigidly secured thereto a shaft on which is rotatablymounted a spool or sleeve for the cord of the airplane which can becontrolled by a finger of the operator and a cord guide consisting of aflat arm rotatable on the shaft and dis posed at the outer end of thespool or sleeve inclining outwardly and downwardly, having an eye at theouter end thereof through which the cord is threaded, so that the cordcan be easily wound on and off the spool or sleeve.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will behereinafter more specifically described and claimed, and illustrated inthe accompanying drawing, in which drawing,

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing my novel airplane launcher andretractor in operation, with the plane in flight and ready for movementfurther away from the operator;

FIGURE .2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1, but showing the spool heldagainst rotation by a finger of the operator for permitting the windingup of the cord on the spool or sleeve to retract the airplane, and

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the 3,107,452 PatentedOct. 22, 1963 "ice plane launcher and retractor, the section being takensubstantially on the line 3--3 of FIGURE 1, looking in the direction ofthe arrows.

Referring to the drawing, in detail, wherein similar referencecharacters designate corresponding parts throughout the several Views,the letter L generally indicates my novel launcher and retractor for atoy airplane P.

The toy plane P can be of any desired character and made from anydesired material, and as illustrated the same includes a fuselage 5,wings 6 and empennage 7.

The launcher and retractor L includes a handle 8 preferably shaped toform a convenient handle and the forward or upper end of the handle hasanchored therein an axially disposed shaft 9. Rotatably mounted upon theshaft 9 is a spool or sleeve 10. The shaft 9 can be formed in differentmanners, but as illustrated the same is in the nature of a rod and theinner end of the rod is frictionally fitted and driven into an axialopening 11 formed in the handle 8. The outer end of the shaft 9 can haveformed thereon a head 12.

The spool 10 can be of any desired shape, but the same is preferably inthe nature of a sleeve and the inner end of the spool engages the handle8 and the outer end of the spool terminates slightly short of the head12. Also rotatably mounted on the shaft 9 independent of the spool 10 isa cord guide 13. This cord guide 13 is in the nature of a flat bar, andthe same has formed on its inner end a bearing opening 14 for receivingthe shaft 9. Thus, the arm 13 and spool 10 are rotatably mounted on theshaft and are confined on the shaft between the handle 8 and the head12. The arm inclines downwardly and outwardly and the outer end thereofis provided with a guide eye 15.

Anchored to the spool 10 and wound thereon is a cord or line 16. Theouter end of the cord or line 16 is secured to the airplane P. Asillustrated, I have secured the line or cord, as at 17, to one wing 6adjacent to the leading edge thereof. The intermediate portion of thecord or line is threaded through the guide eye 15.

In the initial assembling of the toy, the arm 13 is first placed on theshaft 9 adjacent to the head 12 after which the spool 10 is placed onthe shaft and the inner end of the shaft is then secured to the handle.

' In operation of the device and considering that the cord 16 is woundon the spool 10, and it is desired to launch the airplane P, then theoperator grasps the handle 8 and holds the same in an elevated positionand moves the handle in a circular mot-ion. As centrifugal forceoperates on the plane P, the same moves outward-1y in a circular patharound the operator and the spool rotates and the cord is payed off ofthe spool. The cord guide 13 follows the path of the cord andeffectively guides the cord off of the spool and prevents the tanglingof the cord.

The operator can control the flight of the plane by moving the handle upor down and by controlling the rotation of the spool. This isaccomplished by placing the forefinger or thumb against the lower end ofthe spool 10. When it is desired to retract the plane, the spool isfirmly held against rotation by placing more pressure against the spoolby the forefinger or thumb, and as the plane moves around the operatorwith the free rotation of the guide arm 13, the line or cord willautomatically wind up on the spool and bring the plane inward andfinally against the spool. The rotation of the guide arm 13 independentof the spool effectively operates to prevent the tangling of the lineand the proper winding up of the cord on the spool.

Great stress is laid on the cord guide 13 having independent rotation ofthe spool 10, so that when the spool is held against rotation the guidearm can continue, its movement around the shaft and guide the cord ontoand around the spool.

Various changes in details may be made without departing from the spiritof the invention or scope of the claims, but what I claim as new is:

1. A toy airplane launcher, flight controller and re tractor comprisinga handle adapted to be grasped by an operator and moved in a circularpath, a shaft having its inner end anchored in the handle and arrangedin longitudinal alignment therewith and projecting outwardly from theouter end of said handle, a longitudinally extending spool rotatablycarried by the shaft having its inner end disposed adjacent to theforward end of the handle and in a position adapted to be engaged by afinger of the hand of the operator grasping the handle, a cord adaptedto be wound on and oil the spool for connection with a toy airplane, anda guide for the cord during the 15 winding of the same off and on thespool including an arm rotatably mounted on the shaft and disposed atthe outer end of the spool, said arm having its outer end provided witha guide eye through which the cord is threaded.

2. A toy airplane launcher, flight controller and retractor as definedin claim 1, and said cord guide being rotatably mounted on the shaftindependently of the spool, whereby said cord guide can rotate aroundthe spool when the spool is held against rotation by the finger of anoperator.

3. A toy airplane launcher, flight controller and retractor as definedin claim 2, and said arm inclining downwardly and outwardly away fromsaid shaft.

Great Britain Ian. 27, 1922 France Dec. 17, 1943

1. A TOY AIRPLANE LAUNCHER, FLIGHT CONTROLLER AND RETRACTOR COMPRISING AHANDLE ADAPTED TO BE GRASPED BY AN OPERATOR AND MOVED IN A CIRCULARPATH, A SHAFT HAVING ITS INNER END ANCHORED IN THE HANDLE AND ARRANGEDIN LONGITUDINAL ALIGNMENT THEREWITH AND PROJECTING OUTWARDLY FROM THEOUTER END OF SAID HANDLE, A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SPOOL ROTATABLYCARRIED BY THE SHAFT HAVING ITS INNER END DISPOSED ADJACENT TO THEFORWARD END OF THE HANDLE AND IN A POSITION ADAPTED TO BE ENGAGED BY AFINGER OF THE HAND OF THE OPERATOR GRASPING THE HANDLE, A CORD ADAPTEDTO BE WOUND ON AND OFF THE SPOOL FOR CONNECTION WITH A TOY AIRPLANE, ANDA GUIDE FOR THE CORD DURING THE WINDING OF THE SAME OFF AND ON THE SPOOLINCLUDING AN ARM ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON THE SHAFT AND DISPOSED AT THEOUTER END OF THE SPOOL, SAID ARM HAVING ITS OUTER END PROVIDED WITH AGUIDE EYE THROUGH WHICH THE CORD IS THREADED.